Hi Matthew,
 
Here's the source list--if you find some of these, and have time, maybe the
list would like a quick overview of the information.
 
** instead of italics, denotes Journal or report or book title.
 
Article:  Paisley, J & Lauer, B.  "Severe Facial Injuries to Infants due to
Unprovoked Attacks by Pet Ferrets."  *JAMA* April 1, 1988  259(30) pp
2005-2006.
 
Sources as listed:
 
1.  Douglas LG: Bite Wounds. *Am Fam Physician* 1975; 11:93-95.
 
2.  Ryland LM, Bernard SL:  A clinical guide to the pet ferret, in Jonston DE
(ed):  *The compendium of Continuing Education for the Practicing
Veterinarian*  Princeton Junction, NJ  Veterinary Learning Systems Co Inc,
1983 vol 5, pp 25-32.
 
3.  Searcy RL:  Biting the hand that feeds. *Community Animal Control* 1987;
6:14.
 
4.  Diesch SL: Reported human injuries of health threats attributed to wild
or exotic animals kept as pets (1971-1981).  *J Am Vet Med Assoc* 1982;
180:382.
 
5.  Childs G: What to do with a ferret. *Community Animal Control* 1987;
6:10-13.
 
6.  Need for data on ferrets that bite, eat human flesh, or develop rabies.
 *Calif Morbid* 1986; 7:1.
 
7.  King, C: *Immigrant Killers*  New York, Oxford University Press Inc,
1985.
 
8.  Blaney N:  No merit in owning ferrets.  *Animal Activist Alert* 1986:
4:2.
 
9.  Ordog GJ, Balasubramanium S, Wasserberger J:  Rat bites: Fifty cases.
 *Ann Emerg Med* 1985; 14:73-77.
 
10. *Rabies Prevention and Control Recommendations: Rationale of Treatment:
Statement Regarding Ferrets.*  Denver, Colorado Department of Health, 1982.
 
11.  Principals of rabies control.  MMWR 1987; 35:815-818.
 
12.  Fox FG, Murphy JC, Ackerman JI, et al:  Proliferative colitis in
ferrets.  *Am J Vet Res* 1982; 43:858-864.
 
13.  Ryland LM, Gorham JR:  The ferret and its diseases.  *J Am Vet Med
Assoc* 1978; 173:1154.
 
Ok, there's the complete source list.  I'll CC it to the list so I don't
have to type it again!  You might have to do some real digging since the AMA
style of reference doesn't seem to include issue # or Month, unlike the much
nicer APA style <grin--I'm a SW, what can I say?> Number before the colon is
Volume number, numbers after seem to be page numbers--they leave us on our
own to figure out which issue number it is.
 
Too bad the information is so old.  Perhaps we should contact these dodos
and ask them to write an updated article.  Or maybe someone with time on
their hands and access to more current sources could write a new article
with more valid info--like how the ferrets were cared for and treated!
 
--Sherri
[Posted in FML issue 1735]